World History II

King Leopold’s Ghost
Choose one of the following questions to discuss in a four-page essay. You should not need to do any outside research, since the purpose of the assignment is to analyze only the assigned book. Typed, double-spaced, in a standard 12-point font (like Times New Roman), and stapled together. Make sure you include citations (either in footnote or parenthetical form) providing page numbers for each direct quote or specific example you include from the book. Print a hard copy of your paper to bring to class on Saturday, October 19. Electronic copies are not accepted. Late papers will be penalized except in cases of documented emergencies.
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? Discuss Hochschild’s depiction of the Congo reform movement. What strategies did they employ? How successful were they, in the short term and in the long term?
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? How does Hochschild depict the experience of natives in the Congo? What sources does he use to try and gain access to their perspective?
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? Choose two of the main characters in Hochschild’s story (King Leopold, Henry Morton Stanley, E.D. Morel, Roger Casement, etc.) and compare/contrast their roles in the colonization of the Congo. What do you think of Hochschild’s portrayal of these individuals? Does he convincingly depict their motives, impact, etc.?